Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-11-03

| trees and so dense the growth Of weeds and
grasses along the path that it was quite i'm
possible to discover whether or not the We
| hicle had, once again, turned from its course
down this lane into one of the numerous and
still smaller by-lanes that led into it on
either hand.
With patience he still pursued the path,
until 1t began to ascend abruptly, and ended
| at last in clearing.
| A broad, grassy plot lay stretched out be-
| fore him. Beyond it was huge mass OF
| table-rock. Then there seemed to come a
steep precipice.
| He walked to the cliffs edge.
Was it fancy. Or did he hear carriage
wheels crashing over the stones belowa
| Surely, that was a laugh that smote upon
his ear, just now. He listened intently.
But, mol he could hear nothing, except the
| wind, signing through the pines, and the
| splashing waters of a brook, babbling in the
vale below
The moon had now arisen in all its silvery
| splendor. For miles and miles around he
looked over level valley, watered by
streams and dotted with lakes that glittered
| in the moonbeamS.
broad terrace that seemed to fringe the side
of the precipice its entire length, and to
form the basis of rough carriage-road.
On the terrace, directly beneath him, lay
| something glittering in the moons rays. 1t
attracted his attention and aroused his Curl
osity. Slowly, he lowered himself from
rock to rock, and, arriving on the terrace,
started in surprise; for this time he was
not mistaken. Here was the distinct and
fresh mark Of wheels. His heart beat more
quickly.
Going to the spot where he had first seen
the sparkle, he found a jewel-handled
palette knife lying in the grass.
With the inspiration of a man whose mind
was on the alert, he saw all at a glance.
Here it was she had been painting. Those
wheel-tracks were made by the wagon that
had escaped him. This was her palette
knife which the careless servants had
dropped, or overlooked. He wiped the dew
from the bright blade and put the knife in
his pocket.
Following the wagon tracks towards the
left, he found, not much farther on "a dainty
lace handkerchief.
Luck has at last come to me.' he said,
| aloud, putting the handkerchief in his pocket
with the knife.
Then it occurred to him her name might
be upon it. He looked again at it. In the
clear light of the moon he could distinguish
an 'N,'' woven dehcately in the center. n!
For what did n. standa Nora, Nancy, Nam
nie, Nettie, Nelly, Nataliel He rached his
brain for all the names beginning with n,
but none so pleased him as Natalie. In his
excited state, this name would not away
from him, and kept fitting through his
brain, as he passed rapidly down the road,
that now descended. The brook, that he had
heard in the vale below, came nearer. He
had no doubt this was the stream that
fed the pool where first he saw her. Turn
ing sharply to theiright, the brook then fol-
lowed the windings of the principal
thoroughfare. Walking briskly along, the
man. as he expected, soon came to the we'll
remembered pool.
Yes here it was that she had stood be-
side her horse; there was the stone on
which she had slept, when remounting him.
two hours before; and yonder, the clump Of
bushes that had concealed her unsuspected
observer.
He stopped to drink, for he was thirsty,
and feverish with excitement.
AS he rose something fell from his pocket
into the water. 1t was the palette-knife.
Eagerly he snatched it from the grasp of
his friend, the brook, saying:
Not so fast, master brooklet. We both
may admire the same woman, but have the
prior claim upon this palette-knife.''
Drying it again, he was about to put it
carefully away once more, when moon.
beam fell brilliantly upon the knife. Was it
imagination! Or did he see bar Of music,
engraved upon the golden handle.
Lighting match, he held the flame over
the knife. Yes, he was right! Engraved
most exquisitely, in minute characters, were
the first few bars of his favorite Addio,
song that he had heard many times in
America, and one that always strangely af-
fected him. The words seemed to reflect his
own Hlonotonous life:
Hush. a voice from the far-awayi
ST.Sre0 i to
All the morrows shall be as to-day"
On the opposite side of the handle, in jew
eled relief, were the words: Natalie from
Otto.'
Natalie! His heart leaped. Here was
proof positive that his first presentiment
was correct.